Robert7

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Posts by Robert7

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  43

  "Commenting" at Meetings

  by cameo-d in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't quite understand why you call it commenting.. when i attended meeting the question at end were read.. when people "commented" it was never a real comment.. it was just reading back word for word a sentence or two from the paragraph that answered the question.. i would think "commentary" would be something you put in your own words and give a personal statement about it.. .

  why do you call it "comments" when it is more like reciting?.

  or is it different in other kh?.

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  Robert7

  I struggled with this a lot actually during my last few years at meetings. I felt it too insulting to my intelligence to 'comment' by repeating exactly what was just read. I refused completely. If I could insert in something slightly off paragraph so that it is my own thinking, then I did, but this was very rare.

  What killed me was how the conductors would respond "yes, yes, very good" to comments even though they were mindless and just repeated the paragraph.

  Ah, in hindsight it was dissonance building up...
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  35

  I would like know how you first found this site, and what was your first experience on here like?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my experience?

  in the past few years, i liked to research stuff on the internet for talks.

  and for experiences, i used to google jw's to see news articles.. then one day last year, i saw this site, and it said that it discusses anything related to jw's.

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  Robert7

  When the WT mind control broke, I realized I was an Atheist. Now coming from the Witnesses to become an Atheist seemed quite crazy. So I Googled for stories of JW's becoming Atheists, and I found this site with many great personal stories.

  For the first few months, JWD was my "anti-spiritual food". Since I was still going to meetings at the time, it helped keep a perspective on the reality of the WTS.
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  48

  What % of WT Society Higher Ups Really Believe what the WT Teaches ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as opposed to how many gb members, wt legal, wt corporate attorneys and the powers of the wt society know it's a big scam to exert power and control over it's members ?

  as always i look forward to your opinions and observations .

  peace out to all, mr. flipper.

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  Robert7

  I really believe that most higher-ups believe it all. You just get wrapped up in it all, especially in that level. Everything else just gets in the catch-all responses of "they're imperfect men" and "wait upon Jehovah".

  It's kind of like trying to argue against someone in the ministry. They are at the height of their zeal, and you likely won't get to them. Same with the higher ups. They are at their peaks, and they just swallow it all up.
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  17

  Dr's Were Talking About Giving Me a Transfusion - Hubby's Reaction and update on him...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, when i was giving birth there were some complications.

  the dr. came in and told hubby and i that they were probably going to want to give me a transfusion as i had lost so much blood.

  i looked at my husband for his reaction.

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  Robert7

  Congrats on the baby!!! and great progress with the husband!!!
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  30

  "We are not hear to change your religion"....why do Witnesses lie?

  by Witness 007 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the truth = yes we are!!

  ive said this in the past but really why am i at the door...not to sell vaccum cleaners!

  we dont "force" people to change religions.....we just force them to stay in with disfellowshiping......."we don't hate gays".......we are just waiting for them to be burnt to death at armagedon..

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  Robert7

  To their credit, most JWs don't realize this. If they do, they feel the end justifies the means.

  Very true. I remember knowing it wasn't true, but the ends did justify the means. If it was to bring people into the truth, then it was fine.
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  30

  "We are not hear to change your religion"....why do Witnesses lie?

  by Witness 007 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the truth = yes we are!!

  ive said this in the past but really why am i at the door...not to sell vaccum cleaners!

  we dont "force" people to change religions.....we just force them to stay in with disfellowshiping......."we don't hate gays".......we are just waiting for them to be burnt to death at armagedon..

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  Robert7

  This is classic dissonance. JWs believe both that they are preaching to only "encourage Bible reading" and also believe that they are there to find converts. I can't believe I believed this stuff and did it myself.
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  31

  Which Dishwasher should I get?

  by asilentone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have kitchenaid dishwasher, which is very slow in the washing and drying dept.

  the previous owner bought it before i moved here.

  i would like to get a faster dishwasher.

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  Robert7

  I also have a Bosch, and I believe it is worth every penny to pay more money and get a better appliance that cleans better, is very quiet, and is reliable. You use it every day, so you'll get your value out of it even if you do pay more.

  In terms of being quiet, I have several times opened it up to add dishes not realizing it's running. You can hear it in complete silence, but in a normal household, you do not hear it, or barely hear it, with normal household background noise.
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  17

  Survey: Jehovah's Witnesses pray the most nationally

  by Gayle in

  1. social
  2. current
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  Robert7

  DS- I agree. As a JW I would have answered 'daily' even though I didn't. You want to ensure the proper 'image' of the faith, and so would answer daily just to look good.
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  42

  The meetings at the Kingdom Hall now are positively scary

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what was i thinking my entire life?

  during the first part about submission, everyone gave the same comments about being obedient to the elders even though you may not agree with them.

  and they talked about submission to the organization no matter what.. no one, i mean no one raised the possibility that the counsel or instructions might be wrong, or harmful.

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  Robert7

  This level of submission was one of the BIG dissonances I had as I was mentall leaving. I knew better than to trust ANYONE blindly. We are thinking individuals, and ultimately decisions are mine, and no one else's.

  I remember thinking during meetings "blind devotion is dangerous" and "YOU are NOT telling ME whether my kids can go to college or not".

  This was probably during the last few months before I finally left the faith, so the dissonance was piling on.
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  47

  Were you afraid to go to a bar?

  by rebel8 in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  someone who shall remain nameless (*cough*snowbird*cough) mentioned she has never been to a bar.. this shocks me.. i was remembering how terrified i was of going to a bar when i was exiting the mother ship.

  i was looking for the lightning bolts to get me.

  and it was a big nothing really.

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  Robert7

  I never had a problem, and many times went to bars when I traveled. I went to just have a beer and hang out, and nothing more. I've met some cool people, who were business travelers like me and were doing the same.

  Of course 'bar' is a loaded word, because the JWs think of dirty scary places full of drunks and guys and girls hooking up. In reality most bars (at least that I went to) are quite nice, people always friendly, virtually never any drunks, and for better or worse, no girls hitting on me.

  As I was leaving the truth, my mom told my worldly brother that I am "becoming more worldly, and he even goes to bars!"